Public domain
One of my all-time favorite writing quotes is by sportswriter Walter “Red” Smith:
There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.
If you’re a writer, you know what I mean. If not, well. Hang on a min. It goes like, “I sometimes think that if my veins were cut, they would bleed Mount Rainier snow melt.”
From the Author’s Note:
Asking a Rainieraholic like me which Mount Rainier trail is her “favorite” is like asking a mom which kid she likes best. So selecting the “top 12” trails at one of the world’s most majestic mountain sites isn’t quite like falling off a Douglas fir, if you know what I mean. But as my dear hubby, Old Iron Knees, says: You were born to write this book.
Why does he say that? Well, either he hasn’t yet had his morning caffeine fix, or he knows I’ve been hiking Mount Rainier National Park since 1964. I have a pretty good view of the Mountain’s trails from my perch here in the nosebleed section of the “50+ yard line.”
I wouldn’t trade it for all the snow in Paradise.
So this little tome is my version of Top 12 Trails at Mount Rainier National Park (MRNP). Kindly note that it is my version of top trails at Mount Rainier. Not yours. Meaning, this list is highly subjective. If you don’t mind, neither do I. Also note that these are day hikes. Not week or month-long adventures or multi-night backpacking excursions. Savvy? …
And just so we understand each other: This isn’t another Mount Rainier trail guide. If you’re looking for mileage, elevation gain, landmarks or where to park, etc., some of that’s included. But 12 Top Trails is more like a trail guide/personal narrative/carpe diem/how in the world can you miss any of these, because your life’s not complete till you do kind of tome. Don’t forget to pack your sense of humor. Just sayin.’
Includes trails in Longmire/Reflection Lakes area, Paradise, Sunrise, and Chinook Pass. Part trail guide, part memoir, part humor. All heart. Or in this case, Mount Rainier snow melt.
Pages & Paws 